KPJ Healthcare has introduced its first-ever kidney transplant service within its own hospital network, marking a major step forward in expanding access to specialised care for patients with advanced kidney disease.
The service debuts at Tawakkal Specialist Hospital, where kidney transplantation is now available as a treatment option for eligible patients suffering from kidney failure — a move that signals the group’s growing push into complex, high-level medical services.
The rollout comes after the hospital quietly completed a successful transplant earlier this year involving a living related donor, underscoring its readiness to handle such procedures with the necessary clinical expertise and systems in place.
That operation was led by Consultant Urologist Dr Norman Dublin and Professor Dr Azad Hassan Abdul Razack, alongside nephrologist Dr Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Hafidz, backed by a full multidisciplinary team spanning anaesthesiology, radiology, critical care and specialised nursing.
For patients with end-stage kidney disease, transplantation is widely regarded as a more sustainable long-term solution compared to dialysis, often improving both survival outcomes and quality of life.
KPJ says the new service is built around an integrated care model — bringing together specialists across nephrology, surgery, intensive care, rehabilitation and even dietetics — aimed at supporting both donors and recipients through every stage of the transplant journey.
Group president and managing director Chin Keat Chyuan described the launch as a “significant milestone,” saying it reflects efforts to expand access to complex care while strengthening long-term patient support across the network.
“For suitable patients, kidney transplantation requires strong clinical governance, specialist expertise and long-term follow-up.”
“This service demonstrates how these capabilities can come together to support those who need advanced treatment,” he said.
Meanwhile, chief medical director Professor Datuk Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid highlighted the patient impact, noting that transplantation can significantly reduce reliance on dialysis.
“For patients with end-stage kidney disease, this offers improved quality of life while enabling access to comprehensive care throughout their treatment journey,” he said.
At the hospital level, Tawakkal Specialist Hospital’s medical director Dr Nurhashim Haron pointed to a deeper legacy behind the move, linking it to earlier renal work carried out at the facility.
The hospital had been involved in transplant procedures dating back to the 1980s, building on foundations laid by the late Datuk Dr Hussein Awang — the surgeon behind Malaysia’s first kidney transplant in 1975.
The latest development, he said, continues that legacy for a new generation of patients.
As KPJ expands its clinical capabilities, the introduction of transplant services reflects a broader shift towards more specialised, integrated healthcare — where treatment goes beyond procedures to encompass long-term patient care across its network. – June 12, 2026
